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Levitn
Human male, born LY 27, in (what would become) First Village. Died 106. Farmer and scientist. Levitn (pronounced ' 'lĕv·ĭ·tn') is best remembered as the founder of the branch of biology known as "genetics." His farm included various products, most notably rainbow qutn. It was this which first led him to develop theories about how traits such as color were passed from one generation of the plant to the next. Over time, he studied various other plants for their genetic traits, and wrote what is considered his definitive article on the subject in LY 55. He shared his findings with other farmers, in order to help them have more selective control of the plants they grew. Since Levitn's time, the study of genetics has been expanded in any number of ways, including the search for a greater understanding of the concept of race. Levitn is also remembered as the uncle of Brist, who introduced the concept of religion to The Land, and who became the first spirit-talker since the time of Connor and Brigid (who were still alive in Levitn's youth, but who had died fourteen years prior Brist's birth in LY 66). In spite of the respect shared by uncle and and nephew, it is known from Brist's writings that they sometimes disagreed on certain personal matters. However, sometime after the introduction of religion, the two are known to have become closer. It is said in the Book of Brist (the second book of the O'Gas), in the entry dated 7 Su'gin, 102* (the second anniversary of his conceiving religion), that on that day Levitn (then aged 75), asked his nephew if he thought it was possible God had created such a plant as rainbow qutn specifically to make it easier for Landians to develop scientific theories such as his. Brist called upon God Himself, and posed this question, though God said it was possible He might have done so, but He didn't want to give away all His secrets, nor did He want to undercut the significance of the work and insights of people such as Levitn, throughout the years past and yet to come. However, it is clear from the Book of Connor and Brigid that God had personally taught the first generation how to do many things which otherwise might have taken many years, even generations, for people to learn entirely on their own, in order to make life easier and more comfortable. It is further stated in the Book of Sol (in an entry from LY 270) that spirit-talking was allowed to help humanity advance more quickly (whether by science or magic), which is something that had often been assumed over the years; but that it was never meant to make humans dependent on such help, but rather to inspire them toward their own achievements, by assuring them their own ideas were indeed possible, if they but invested time and effort in attaining their goals. This passage is often cited as a possible affirmation of Levitn's question of over a century and a half earlier, though many consider it just as ambiguous as God's original answer. *Note: The earliest edition of the O'Gas wasn't compiled until 105, by Brist and five other spirit-talkers, though it included things each of them had written in the five years since spirit-talking began, in LY 100. Category:People